The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-06-10
HONE POLITENESS.

HOME POLlTENESS.
0.s Of the Republics Of Happy and
Pleasant Family Life.
Politensss among the members Of .
family is one of the requisites Of the
home life. No matter how luxurious
the home may be. it is failure If this
one feature is missing. while no matter
how humble the home, it is always .
pleasant one where the virtue Of po-
likeness is practiced among its people
We have too many company manners
and too few home ones. Some people
put on company politeness - they do
their best clothes. that is. for special
occasions. and usually put it away in
the same closet Such people never
think manners are for everyday use.
any more than they would think Of
dressing in silks and laces to work in
the kitchen. They use the most elab-
crate expressions when addressing an
occasional guest, with the idea that
they are courteous, when the contrary
is really the case, for true courtesy is
never elaborate. The use of extrava-
CANT expression is banned by many as
a sign of insincerity in the person using
them, which is by no means so in the
majority Of cases. but simply q habit
thoughtlessly formed of using superflu-
Gus expressions on the very simplest
occasions. Such remarks as II shall
never forget your kindness. or I'm
thousand times obliged to you." in
recognition of some slight service rem
dered, seems ridiculously absurd to a
thoughtful person, who would much
prefer hearing II thank YOU" or II
am obliged to you." which, if spoken
simply and earnestly, will carry more
meaning than all the extravagant ex-
pressions in the vocabulary. Courteous
people never make extravagant re-
marks. and though to some they may
appear cold in not using them. they can
never be accused of insincerity.
If people would leave off using these
expressions abroad. and pay more at
tentiOn to the use of the simpler ones
at home. it would be much pleasanter
for all concerned They would not think
of accepting the least service from an
outsider without acknowledging it, no
m after how slight it might be, yet in
the home all services they accept as
Though their right. making not the
slightest return for such. They do not
mean to be ungtateful; they would be
indignant if You suggested such a
thing; they have been so accustomed
to take all services rendered them in
the home, since childhood. as matter
of course, that they have never given q
thought to the acknowledgement Of
such. If they would reason a little
while. they would very soon come to
the conclusion that they ought to have
come to long ago, that mother or broth
er is as much pleased Mt ''thank you"
as any of their friends, and certainly is
more entitled to il.
In all homes such words - IL thank
you" and pardon me-" should be fire.
quently used. There are always plen-
ty of occasions for using these express
sions which will save the home many .
jarring note. The father comes in
from his days work tired and little
out of sorts. for things did not 60 rs
well as he could wish. Mother or some
one of the family brings his slippers to
him. He is strongly tsmpted to take
them without any comment, but his
better nature comes 20 the front and
he says. "thank you," and his i'll ma
ture vanishes before the brightness of
expression that comes over the child's
or mothers face at the acknowledge
ment of her simple service. The mother
has u nervous headache, she wants rest,
but the baby will not go to to sleep;
the father takes him and feels well re-
paid with quiet ''thank YOU" Pa
rents who are courteous to each other
seldom have discourteous children, as
the little ones learn more by example
than by precept.-Boston Budget.